Polls fallout: Trials of Jonathan’s men

Following the electoral misfortunes of President Goodluck Jonathan at the last presidential polls, Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, takes a look at the political future of some of his stout supporters

Weeks after the result of the presidential election was announced, loyalists of President Goodluck Jonathan are adjusting to the reality of their principal’s loss at the keenly contested poll in an array of ways. While some have already put the defeat behind and have found their voices once again, others are still too stunned to make themselves heard.

Also, while some are still reaching deep into their bags of trick to find ways of ensuring they remain relevant in the coming scheme of things, some have already jumped ship and are now overnight members of the winning All Progressives Congress (APC). In the same vein, while some are now recanting their earlier threats and vows, a few are insisting they will see nothing good in the coming administration.

Few days back, three of President’s men, namely Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe, and Director of Media/Publicity, the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Office, Femi Fani-Kayode, were in the news, after days of unusual silence.

Doyin Okupe

Erstwhile vociferous mouthpiece of the Jonathan presidency, Okupe, went on Twitter and Facebook to defend himself against the commitment he made when he tipped Jonathan to win the election. According to widespread media reports, the Iperu, Ogun State-born politician had, few days to the presidential election, said he should be called “a bastard” should the President-elect, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), win the March 28 poll.

While admitting that he predicted that Buhari was not going to win, Okupe denied ever suggesting he should be referred to as a bastard should the General win. He argued that he only said he would change his name if the APC candidate emerged victorious.

Okupe however gave an insight into how he intends to handle the fallouts of the presidential election when he said “no doubt, I am still bent on changing my name as I said before the election.”

The presidential aide said, “I never said if the APC survived, ‘call me a bastard;’ what I said was that ‘I would change my name’. That is the truth, but the prerogative of changing my name is mine. ‘Bastard’ is not an alternative, but you can continue to say that if you want. I really and truly do not care.”

However, observers fear that rather than change his name or accept being called a bastard, Okupe may soon change his political affiliation to suit the current political mood in the country. “It is unlikely that Okupe will change his name or even his ways. The only thing likely to change is his political affiliation. I expect to see him joining those seeking refuge in the APC soon. Don’t forget how he abandoned parties in the past without blinking an eyelid.

Okupe will go with any administration that finds a use for him. So, he is not one of those who will stay with President Jonathan for long after office. He will not wait long enough to go through any trial or travail. I’m very sure of that,” former Alliance for Democracy, (AD) Secretary in Okupe’s senatorial district, Alh. Sadiku Afuwape, said.

Fani-Kayode

Amidst allegations that at a book launch in Lagos recently, he reportedly took a swipe at the Jonathan administration, saying he was leaving behind a legacy of “destruction and disaster,” Fani-Kayode, who practically went underground following Jonathan’s loss at the presidential election, reared his embattled head to say he is yet to abandon President Jonathan.

The former Aviation Minister, in a recent tweet, said “the assertion that I went to a book launch in Lagos last week and criticised the legacy of President Jonathan is purely false.”

But very much unlike his usual explanatory self, Fani-Kayode, who didn’t deny being at the book launch, failed to say what he actually said at the public event. And this appears like an unusual style.

The development is fuelling insinuation that the Ife-born politician may be on his way out of the President’s camp soon. Sources at the presidency also told The Nation that Fani-Kayode, who before now was a regular visitor to the seat of power, has not been seen coming around since the electoral defeat suffered by Mr. President.

“Shortly before and all through the electioneering campaign, Fani-Kayode became more or less a part of the media team in the presidency. He was always coming around to compare notes with the likes of Okupe and Reuben Abati. He was very much around here then. But since the loss of the presidential election, not much of him have been seen around here,” our source said.

The former minister and erstwhile APC chieftain, had in April 2014, dumped the opposition party to rejoin the PDP, which he had left few months earlier.

FFK, as he is fondly called by his admirers told State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Jonathan that he was kicking against alleged plan by the APC to field two Muslims as presidential candidate and running mate for the 2015 elections.

Observers say given his background, it is not unlikely that he will soon find some good reasons to return to the fold of the progressives. “Except if the APC out-rightly reject him, FFK will soon be speaking glowingly of General Muhammadu Buhari and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. He is not likely to stay in the PDP or with President Jonathan for much longer,” an analyst opined.

Diezani Alison-Madueke

Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, is another of the President’s allies already feeling the impact of PDP’s loss of the presidency. Last Tuesday, she had to come all out to assure Nigerians that she was not seeking asylum in any part of the world.

This followed trending reports started by an online publication that the influential minister had been denied asylum by six countries where she had so far applied but did not mention the countries involved.

Madueke, who spoke through the Group Public Affairs General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, denied ever contemplating relocating from Nigeria.

But pundits say she might have reasons for wanting to leave the country before May 29. “Diezani is a strong supporter of the outgoing administration and a leading anti-Buhari campaigner. Aside all these, she has been enmeshed in a number of allegations over her activities at the Petroleum Ministry. It should be no surprise if she is thinking of easing out for a while,” a source close to the embattled minister said.

Among other numerous allegations, Alison-Madueke was alleged to have spent N10bn on a chartered Challenger 850 aircraft in two years for which the House of Representatives is currently probing her to no avail. The President Jonathan-led Federal Government has always rebuffed plea to probe several allegations of financial recklessness against the Petroleum Minister.

Bode George

Unlike Diezani, former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Bode George says he may be going on exile following the victory of Gen. Muhammudu Buhari (retd) on March 28. George had prior to the election, said in an interview that he would proceed on exile if the APC wins at the federal level.

Speaking recently following PDP’s defeat at the polls, the PDP chieftain said “What will I be doing here? I can decide to go and live anywhere. Look at everyone surrounding him (Buhari). So, I am not joking about it, what will I be doing here?

At 70, what will I be doing here? All we have been doing to restructure the country has been lost. We have been trying to ensure balance in the polity but all that has gone. What else will I be doing here?”

Adamu Muazu

Still trying to recover from the defeat suffered by his party in the Presidential and National Assembly elections, National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, admitted that the party was humbled by the loss while assuring Nigerians that the PDP will be reformed to meet the expectations of its members and Nigerians.

According to the chairman, the ruling party has learnt lessons from its defeat and will never again let Nigerians down when it bounces back to power. However, it is not clear if he will be in charge to see the party bounce back as he is currently being attacked from all fronts by party chieftains who feel he contributed to the woes of the President and the party.

Edwin Clark

Allegedly leading Muazu’s accusers is a former Federal Commissioner of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, who has accused Mu’azu, of misinforming President Goodluck Jonathan on issues relating to the party.

Sources say Clark is particularly unhappy with Mu’azu for imposing a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, as the PDP governorship candidate in Adamawa State. “Clark is of the opinion that the imposition of Ribadu in Adamawa vexed many northern leaders and prompted them to work against Jonathan. He is alleging that Mu’azu misinformed the President on the alleged popularity of the former chairman of the anti-graft commission,” our source said.

The development, The Nation gathered, is threatening Muazu’s continued stay in office as boss of the embattled party.

Peter Obi

The former governor of Anambra State on the ticket of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), who defected to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) shortly after leaving office was the Chief Jonathan marketer in the South-East. Many of his critics both in the PDP and APGA still hold him responsible for allegedly misleading Ndigbo to go all out for PDP. It is not yet clear what he will do next.

President Jonathan had himself to blame for his failure and subsequent
destruction of PDP. He was too slow at taking decisions and he appointed very timid,
unintelligent and selfish people as his henchmen. These money mongers helped him to lose the election.

Frank Ojiako

If men were God, Don’t even go there or Imagine. See xenophobic trouble in South Africa? Some of those god’s will use Human flesh to prepare Pepper soup for their dogs. Its a pity some of these so called elders danced Naked in the public – Lets forgive them for the Emerging New Nigeria-The United States of Nigeria (USN)- thanks to GEJ,GMD & Prof Jeja.Let no one harbor hard feelings because their Conscience has flogged them enough. MEN ARE NOT GOD. Late Abraham Adesanya once told OBJ “Don’t play god to Nigerians” even before he rejected the offer to be “Nelson Mandela of Nigeria” through his THIRD TERM BID. Scriptures puts it “Those who often REBUKED harden their Neck get suddenly destroyed without REMEDY” Long Live Peace Loving Nigerians!